used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading There had been a frost in the night, and the bushes crackled; the late winter sun was thawing it in the branches.
touching and pressing; in opposition to
From this reading Behind the cloudy glass in the greenhouses were primulas and hyacinths, and all manner of scented things, a bright blur against the panes; but she walked rather the slippery paths in the lifeless garden.
(quantifier) used with either mass or count nouns to indicate the whole number or amount of or every one of a class
From this reading Behind the cloudy glass in the greenhouses were primulas and hyacinths, and all manner of scented things, a bright blur against the panes; but she walked rather the slippery paths in the lifeless garden.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading There had been a frost in the night, and the bushes crackled; the late winter sun was thawing it in the branches.
beenauxiliary verbUS /bɪn/
the past participle of “be”
From this reading There had been a frost in the night, and the bushes crackled; the late winter sun was thawing it in the branches.
BehindprepositionUS /bɪˈhaɪnd/
at or toward the back of something
From this reading Behind the cloudy glass in the greenhouses were primulas and hyacinths, and all manner of scented things, a bright blur against the panes; but she walked rather the slippery paths in the lifeless garden.
bewilderingverbUS /bɪˈwɪldərɪŋ/
-ing form of “bewilder” — be a mystery or bewildering to
From this reading She tried to picture the blackened tufts tall spikes of blossom, and the long line of rose trees, all muffled in dried fern, a bewildering lane of sweetness.
blackenedadjectiveUS /ˈblækənd/
darkened by smoke
From this reading She tried to picture the blackened tufts tall spikes of blossom, and the long line of rose trees, all muffled in dried fern, a bewildering lane of sweetness.
blossomverbUS /ˈblɑːsəm/
produce or yield flowers
From this reading She tried to picture the blackened tufts tall spikes of blossom, and the long line of rose trees, all muffled in dried fern, a bewildering lane of sweetness.
blurverbUS /blɜːr/
become glassy; lose clear vision
From this reading Behind the cloudy glass in the greenhouses were primulas and hyacinths, and all manner of scented things, a bright blur against the panes; but she walked rather the slippery paths in the lifeless garden.
plural of “branch” — a division of some larger or more complex organization
From this reading There had been a frost in the night, and the bushes crackled; the late winter sun was thawing it in the branches.
emitting or reflecting light readily or in large amounts
From this reading Behind the cloudy glass in the greenhouses were primulas and hyacinths, and all manner of scented things, a bright blur against the panes; but she walked rather the slippery paths in the lifeless garden.
plural of “bush” — a low woody perennial plant usually having several major stems
From this reading There had been a frost in the night, and the bushes crackled; the late winter sun was thawing it in the branches.
used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before
From this reading Behind the cloudy glass in the greenhouses were primulas and hyacinths, and all manner of scented things, a bright blur against the panes; but she walked rather the slippery paths in the lifeless garden.
cloudyadjectiveUS /ˈklaʊdi/
lacking definite form or limits
From this reading Behind the cloudy glass in the greenhouses were primulas and hyacinths, and all manner of scented things, a bright blur against the panes; but she walked rather the slippery paths in the lifeless garden.
crackledverbUS /ˈkrækəld/
past form of “crackle” — make a crackling sound
From this reading There had been a frost in the night, and the bushes crackled; the late winter sun was thawing it in the branches.
driedadjectiveUS /draɪd/
not still wet
From this reading She tried to picture the blackened tufts tall spikes of blossom, and the long line of rose trees, all muffled in dried fern, a bewildering lane of sweetness.
past form of “fail” — fail to do something; leave something undone
From this reading Imagination failed her.
fernnounUS /fɜːrn/
any of numerous flowerless and seedless vascular plants having true roots from a rhizome and fronds that uncurl upward; reproduce by spores
From this reading She tried to picture the blackened tufts tall spikes of blossom, and the long line of rose trees, all muffled in dried fern, a bewildering lane of sweetness.
frostnounUS /frɔːst/
ice crystals forming a white deposit (especially on objects outside)
From this reading There had been a frost in the night, and the bushes crackled; the late winter sun was thawing it in the branches.
a plot of ground where plants are cultivated
From this reading Susan was in the garden.
a brittle transparent solid with irregular atomic structure
From this reading Behind the cloudy glass in the greenhouses were primulas and hyacinths, and all manner of scented things, a bright blur against the panes; but she walked rather the slippery paths in the lifeless garden.
greenhousesnounUS /ˈɡriːnhaʊsɪz/
plural of “greenhouse” — a building with glass walls and roof; for the cultivation and exhibition of plants under controlled conditions
From this reading Behind the cloudy glass in the greenhouses were primulas and hyacinths, and all manner of scented things, a bright blur against the panes; but she walked rather the slippery paths in the lifeless garden.
hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/
the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect
From this reading There had been a frost in the night, and the bushes crackled; the late winter sun was thawing it in the branches.
belonging to a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned
From this reading Imagination failed her.
hyacinthsnounUS /ˈhaɪəsɪnθs/
plural of “hyacinth” — a red transparent variety of zircon used as a gemstone
From this reading Behind the cloudy glass in the greenhouses were primulas and hyacinths, and all manner of scented things, a bright blur against the panes; but she walked rather the slippery paths in the lifeless garden.
the formation of a mental image of something that is not perceived as real and is not present to the senses
From this reading Imagination failed her.
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading Susan was in the garden.
a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned
From this reading There had been a frost in the night, and the bushes crackled; the late winter sun was thawing it in the branches.
a narrow way or road
From this reading She tried to picture the blackened tufts tall spikes of blossom, and the long line of rose trees, all muffled in dried fern, a bewildering lane of sweetness.
being or occurring at an advanced period of time or after a usual or expected time
From this reading There had been a frost in the night, and the bushes crackled; the late winter sun was thawing it in the branches.
lifelessadjectiveUS /ˈlaɪfləs/
deprived of life; no longer living
From this reading Behind the cloudy glass in the greenhouses were primulas and hyacinths, and all manner of scented things, a bright blur against the panes; but she walked rather the slippery paths in the lifeless garden.
a formation of people or things one beside another
From this reading She tried to picture the blackened tufts tall spikes of blossom, and the long line of rose trees, all muffled in dried fern, a bewildering lane of sweetness.
primarily temporal sense; being or indicating a relatively great or greater than average duration or passage of time or a duration as specified
From this reading She tried to picture the blackened tufts tall spikes of blossom, and the long line of rose trees, all muffled in dried fern, a bewildering lane of sweetness.
how something is done or how it happens
From this reading Behind the cloudy glass in the greenhouses were primulas and hyacinths, and all manner of scented things, a bright blur against the panes; but she walked rather the slippery paths in the lifeless garden.
muffledadjectiveUS /ˈmʌfəld/
being or made softer or less loud or clear
From this reading She tried to picture the blackened tufts tall spikes of blossom, and the long line of rose trees, all muffled in dried fern, a bewildering lane of sweetness.
the time after sunset and before sunrise while it is dark outside
From this reading There had been a frost in the night, and the bushes crackled; the late winter sun was thawing it in the branches.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading Behind the cloudy glass in the greenhouses were primulas and hyacinths, and all manner of scented things, a bright blur against the panes; but she walked rather the slippery paths in the lifeless garden.
panesnounUS /peɪnz/
plural of “pane” — sheet glass cut in shapes for windows or doors
From this reading Behind the cloudy glass in the greenhouses were primulas and hyacinths, and all manner of scented things, a bright blur against the panes; but she walked rather the slippery paths in the lifeless garden.
pathsnounUS /pæðz/
plural of “path” — a course of conduct
From this reading Behind the cloudy glass in the greenhouses were primulas and hyacinths, and all manner of scented things, a bright blur against the panes; but she walked rather the slippery paths in the lifeless garden.
a visual representation (of an object or scene or person or abstraction) produced on a surface
From this reading She tried to picture the blackened tufts tall spikes of blossom, and the long line of rose trees, all muffled in dried fern, a bewildering lane of sweetness.
primulas
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Behind the cloudy glass in the greenhouses were primulas and hyacinths, and all manner of scented things, a bright blur against the panes; but she walked rather the slippery paths in the lifeless garden.
on the contrary
From this reading Behind the cloudy glass in the greenhouses were primulas and hyacinths, and all manner of scented things, a bright blur against the panes; but she walked rather the slippery paths in the lifeless garden.
any of many shrubs of the genus Rosa that bear roses
From this reading She tried to picture the blackened tufts tall spikes of blossom, and the long line of rose trees, all muffled in dried fern, a bewildering lane of sweetness.
scentedadjectiveUS /ˈsentɪd/
having the sense of smell
From this reading Behind the cloudy glass in the greenhouses were primulas and hyacinths, and all manner of scented things, a bright blur against the panes; but she walked rather the slippery paths in the lifeless garden.
a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading Behind the cloudy glass in the greenhouses were primulas and hyacinths, and all manner of scented things, a bright blur against the panes; but she walked rather the slippery paths in the lifeless garden.
slipperyadjectiveUS /ˈslɪpəri/
causing or tending to cause things to slip or slide
From this reading Behind the cloudy glass in the greenhouses were primulas and hyacinths, and all manner of scented things, a bright blur against the panes; but she walked rather the slippery paths in the lifeless garden.
spikesnounUS /spaɪks/
plural of “spike” — a transient variation in voltage or current
From this reading She tried to picture the blackened tufts tall spikes of blossom, and the long line of rose trees, all muffled in dried fern, a bewildering lane of sweetness.
the star that is the source of light and heat for the planets in the solar system
From this reading There had been a frost in the night, and the bushes crackled; the late winter sun was thawing it in the branches.
Susan
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Susan was in the garden.
sweetnessnounUS /ˈswiːtnəs/
the taste experience when sugar dissolves in the mouth
From this reading She tried to picture the blackened tufts tall spikes of blossom, and the long line of rose trees, all muffled in dried fern, a bewildering lane of sweetness.
great in vertical dimension; high in stature
From this reading She tried to picture the blackened tufts tall spikes of blossom, and the long line of rose trees, all muffled in dried fern, a bewildering lane of sweetness.
thawingnounUS /ˈθɔːɪŋ/
the process whereby heat changes something from a solid to a liquid
From this reading There had been a frost in the night, and the bushes crackled; the late winter sun was thawing it in the branches.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading Susan was in the garden.
in or at that place or location
From this reading There had been a frost in the night, and the bushes crackled; the late winter sun was thawing it in the branches.
any movable possession (especially articles of clothing)
From this reading Behind the cloudy glass in the greenhouses were primulas and hyacinths, and all manner of scented things, a bright blur against the panes; but she walked rather the slippery paths in the lifeless garden.
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading She tried to picture the blackened tufts tall spikes of blossom, and the long line of rose trees, all muffled in dried fern, a bewildering lane of sweetness.
plural of “tree” — a tall perennial woody plant having a main trunk and branches forming a distinct elevated crown; includes both gymnosperms and angiosperms
From this reading She tried to picture the blackened tufts tall spikes of blossom, and the long line of rose trees, all muffled in dried fern, a bewildering lane of sweetness.
tested and proved useful or correct
From this reading She tried to picture the blackened tufts tall spikes of blossom, and the long line of rose trees, all muffled in dried fern, a bewildering lane of sweetness.
tuftsnounUS /tʌfts/
plural of “tuft” — a bunch of hair or feathers or growing grass
From this reading She tried to picture the blackened tufts tall spikes of blossom, and the long line of rose trees, all muffled in dried fern, a bewildering lane of sweetness.
past form of “walk” — use one's feet to advance; advance by steps
From this reading Behind the cloudy glass in the greenhouses were primulas and hyacinths, and all manner of scented things, a bright blur against the panes; but she walked rather the slippery paths in the lifeless garden.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading Susan was in the garden.
wereauxiliary verbUS /wɜːr/
the past form of “be” used with you, we, they, or a plural noun
From this reading Behind the cloudy glass in the greenhouses were primulas and hyacinths, and all manner of scented things, a bright blur against the panes; but she walked rather the slippery paths in the lifeless garden.
the coldest season of the year; in the northern hemisphere it extends from the winter solstice to the vernal equinox
From this reading There had been a frost in the night, and the bushes crackled; the late winter sun was thawing it in the branches.
